Furniture



May 21, 1929. J BERTAN| 1,713,863

FIBRNITURE Filed Sept. 20, 1927 fin-ill Patented May 21, 1929.

JEAN Id. BERTANI, OF NEEV YORK, N. Y.

FURNITURE.

Application filed September 20, 1927.

This invention relates to improvements in furniture, and more particularly to articles of furniture provided with concealed and disappearing parts, such articles being adapted to permit the concealed and disappearing parts to be accessible for use and also to be withdrawn into the main body of the structure when not in use.

An object of the invention is to provide simple and eiiicient means for providing the structures referred to with disappearing parts.

A further object is to provide efticient means for locking the disappearing parts in extended position but at the same time permittin said parts to be readily withdrawn.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means for locking the disappearing parts in withdrawn position but at the same time permitting the parts to be readily extended.

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent by reference to the following detailed description read in the light of the accompanying drawings illustrating the same, wherein Fig. 1 is a plan view of the device with parts thereof in extended and elevated position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation taken on the lines2-2 of Fig. 1 showing parts of the invention in extended position;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the movable part of the device in its lowermost position locked in place within the main portion of the table;

d is an enlarged View partly in section of the end of the article illustrating the arrangement of the component parts thereof; and

Fig. 5 is a section taken on the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4-..

Referring now to the drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is illustrated, represents side members of the article and 11 represents the end members of the same,

which may be curved or straight as desired to form tables of any style. The enclosing structure formed by the members 10 and 11 is siilpported by suitable legs 12 which may be either upright or at slight angular displacement with each other. Strips 13 are secured across the top of the enclosing structure near two of the edges thereof. Flat members let hinged or atherwise pivetaiiy secured to Serial No. 220,655.

the strips 13 so that they may be extended to cause their top surfaces to lie in the same horizontal plane of the top of strips 13 or may be folded to lie adjacent the menr bars '10. Members 14 may be locked in extended position by recourse to anysuitable means. if it is so desired, the structure may be provided with a permanently fixed horizontal surface such as may be found in an ordinary table or desk.

Slidable in the enclosing structure between the inner edges of strips 13 is a structure composed of top and bottom members 16 and 17 and flat inner end members 18. Additional end members 19 are placed immediately adjacent the members 18. Members 19 may be curved or flat; in any event, conforming to the shape of the ends 11 of the enclosing structure. As shown,these members are fiat. Immediately adjacent the members 11 and directly underneaththe members 13 are a pair of extensions 20 provided with a double tongue-and-groove arrangement into which a similar arrangement on the edges of the member 19 are adapted to fit in such manner affording guideways for the slidable structure. In the lowermost position of this structure, the top member 16 rests upon the end pieces 11 of the enclosing structure, while upward movement is limited by the contact of the lower faces of strips 13 with projections on the edges of the lower member 17.

In order that the slidable structure may be automatically locked in raised position, each of the members 19 is provided with an opening in which an insert 22 is pivotally mounted by means of pins 28 disposed substantially midway between the ends of the insert. Inserts 22 may be made by cutting a portion out of the members 19 and by reducing said portion cut out in width as shown clearly in Fig. 5. Resilient springs 24 each having one end secured to the member 18 tend to force the lower halves of the inserts 22 outwardly. Handles 25 secured to the top of inserts 22, in a manner to be hereinafter described in detail, may be utilized for partially rotating these sections. thereby compressing the springs 24' for the purpose of permitting the movable structure to slide downwardly within the enclosing structure. A lug 26 which may be an ordinary screw is fastened in the top of the end member 11 of the enclosing structure forthe purpose of limitin outward mo /em at of the insert and for a further '25-and then by liftingg'the structure.

purpose to be described in detail hereinafter. In order that the movable structure may be locked in its downmostposition, each of the handles 25 is pivotally secured to the in serts 22 in such a manner as to permit the partial rotation thereof about its pivotal point, As shown clearly in Fig. 4, a portion of a top 16 is cut away to permit the movement of the handle 25 and also to furnish a recess for the reception of the lug 26 when the 's'tructureis in its lowermost position. A spring '27 fastened to the insert '22 nor- 'mal'ly forces the handle 25 against the stop 28 as shown in Fig. 4-. In the lowermost po-- sition of the movable structure, the handle '25 rests beneath the head of stop-or lug 26,

thereby locking the structure against upward movement until the handle has been rotated about its pivotal axis an amount suiiicient to release the same from engagement with the lug.

' 9 Having described the structure of the 'device, the operation of the same is as follows.

Assuming the movable structure is locked in its lowermost position; that is, the position in which thetop of member 16 is flush with the tops of the strips 13, it may be elevated by unlocking the structure as before described-by partially rotating; the handle As soon as-the structure has been raised to a suflicient height, the springs 24 will cause a par- "tial rotation of the inserts 22, forcing t- 1e lower halves of these inserts outwardly over the top of the end members '11. By perm-itting the full weightof the movable structure to be exerted by the force of ;rav ity, these inserts resting upon the members 11 an amount determined by the stops or lugs 26, hold the structure in elevated position. "To lower the movable structure, the handles 25 are pulled outwardly, partially rotating inserts 29,, thereby compressing springs 24 1mtil the lower halves of the inserts 22 clear the end members 11, at which time the movable s ucture may be lowered either grad-uallyor entirely by the force exerted by gravity. As

the structure approaches its lowermost position, the top of handles 25 wil'l engage the curved head of the his: 26 and continued movemeirt wil l produce a camdike eifect in that the handle will slideover the top of the lug until in the lowermost position of the structure, the handle will be locked underneath the head of lug 26.

It will be evident from the foregoing that enclosure, a structure mounted for vertical movement therein and composed of a top,

bottom and ends, said ends having inserts pivotally mounted inopenings therein, resili 'ent means for rotating said inserts when said structure is elevated until the lower ends of said inserts are above the enclosure to cause said ends to automatically engage the edges of the enclosure, means secured to the edges of said enclosure to limit rotation of said inserts when the lower ends of said inserts are inengagementwith and immediately above said enclosure, means for actuating; said inserts to disengagethem from saidedges. said last-mentioned means and said limiting 'mcansbei'n adaptedto (re-operate to automatically lock said movable structure agai'ns "movement when it reaches its lowermost position.

2. In a device of the character described, thecemb-inationof astructu-re forming anenclosure, a structure mounted for vertical movement therein andcomposed of a top, bottom and 'ends, said ends hav-inn inserts pivotally mounted in openings therein, resilient means for rotating saidinserts when said structure is elevated until the lower ends of said inserts are above the enclosure to cause said ends to automatically engage the edges said enclosure to limit rotation of said in serts when the lower ends of said inserts are i-nengagement with and immediately above movement.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specificatlon.

JEAN M. BERTANI.

of the encl0sure,studs secured to the edges of 

